Tips & Tricks For a Stress-free Holiday Baking Season
It’s that time of year again! My favorite part of the holidays is baking treats for friends and family — both as gifts and for special meals. But we all know how hard it is to juggle daily life and still do what we love: bake!
Of course, there are the obvious tips:
Be organized (I’m an Excel nerd myself!)
Plan ahead
Test new recipes early — or stick to tried and true favorites
Take inventory of your supplies — most baking ingredients go on sale this time of year
But here are a few holiday-specific baking tips — some you probably know, and I’m betting at least one will be new to you!
1. The Freezer Is Your Friend
Cake layers, baked cookies, cupcakes, and pie dough can all be baked, cooled, and then frozen for a few months. Make sure baked goods are completely cool before wrapping airtight. If storing cookies in a container, add another layer of plastic wrap (or a jumbo Ziploc bag) to block odors and prevent that dreaded “freezer taste.”
2. Pre-Portion for Drop Cookies
Scoop your cookie dough, freeze the portions solid, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. When it’s time to bake, just pop them on a tray and add a few minutes to the baking time.
(Bonus: frozen cookie dough balls make an excellent snack… you know you’ve done it!)
For pies, make your dough now — and use the full amount of water (the freezer dries things out). Thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to roll.
3. Freezing Decorated Sugar Cookies
You can decorate, dry (24–48 hours), heat seal individually, and freeze your cookies!
To thaw, place the entire sealed container on the counter — do not open — and let it come to room temp (6 hours or overnight). This prevents condensation from ruining your beautiful icing. If you’ll enjoy them within a few weeks, skip the freezer and just store sealed cookies in the fridge.
4. Keep Spiced Cookies Separate
Gingerbread and spiced cookies smell amazing — but they’ll share that flavor with everything nearby. Package them separately (bonus points for cute little boxes!) to keep your cookie assortment balanced.
5. Yes, You Can Freeze Cake Batter!
If you have extra butter or oil-based cake batter, freeze it for later. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as usual. This doesn’t work for chiffon or sponge cakes (which rely on egg whites for rise), but for standard batters, the baking powder will stay mostly inactive until the oven heat kicks in.
6. Let Go of Perfection
At the end of the day, holiday baking is about sharing joy, not achieving flawless results. Invite friends or family to help, put on some music, and maybe pour a festive drink or two. The best memories are made when you’re laughing in a messy kitchen together.
Drop me a line at robin@cake4kids.org if you have any questions. Happy holidays, and happy baking!
- Robin, aka The Cake Robin